Paternity shocker: Have Sandra Birchmore’s baby DNA test results changed everything?

DNA test results have confirmed that former Stoughton police detective Matthew Farwell is not the father of murdered woman Sandra Birchmore‘s unborn baby, who also died in the attack. This conclusion upends earlier assumptions and alters the emotional landscape of the case.

DNA tests reviewed by several outlets conclusively prove that Farwell did not impregnate Birchmore, who was approximately three months along when her body was found in her Canton, Massachusetts, apartment in February 2021. The discovery has sparked intense speculation over its potential legal and personal repercussions. And questions remain about who the child’s father was.

Birchmore’s death was initially declared a suicide

23‑year‑old Birchmore disappeared in February 2021 and was later found dead in her apartment. Authorities initially ruled her death a suicide due to asphyxiation. However, federal prosecutors later indicted Farwell in August 2024 for allegedly strangling Birchmore to prevent her from exposing their secret relationship and his exploitation of her when she was a minor.

Birchmore first met Farwell through the Stoughton Police Explorers program when she was just 12. Farwell, then in his twenties, became her officer‑mentor, and allegedly began abusing Birchmore at that time.

Birchmore was pregnant when she was killed, and convinced Farwell was the father. Texts exchanged between them indicate she believed he was the father and urged him to claim paternity: “Your kid should matter,” Birchmore wrote.

Birchmore not only told Farwell she was pregnant but also discussed birth certificates and post‑baby life together. Prosecutors highlighted texts that showed her belief in his paternity. Farwell, in turn, reacted angrily: “You are truly the worst person on the face of the earth,” he replied, according to The Boston Globe.

So, who was the father of Birchmore’s child?

As it stands, no one knows who the biological father of Birchmore’s unborn baby is. But until now, the case narrative was shaped by the idea that Birchmore’s pregnancy motivated Farwell to kill her to cover up the abuse. But the DNA evidence delivers a stunning reversal: While their relationship and his motives remain central to the federal homicide charges, the presumption that he fathered her child is legally incorrect.

Legal analysts emphasize that Farwell’s paternity or lack thereof does not automatically mean he’s innocent. Federal charges center on allegations that he killed Birchmore to prevent her from exposing their illegal sexual relationship, which began when she was a minor.

Experts note that he didn’t need to be the father—he only had to believe he was to feel threatened. As one said, “He doesn’t have to be the father—he just has to think he’s the father,” to establish motive.

There’s still a mountain of evidence against Farwell

Paternity aside, there are still explicit text messages between Farwell and Birchmore, Birchmore’s repeated assertions that Farwell was the father of her unborn child, and surveillance footage showing him as the last known person to see her alive.

Federal authorities also claim Farwell staged the scene to make her death look like a suicide, and they have charged him with killing a witness to obstruct justice.

Still, defense attorneys have seized upon the DNA revelation to bolster Farwell’s credibility, citing his persistent denials that he fathered the baby. Yet most agree any impact will be relatively minor: while it may undermine one emotional thread, it doesn’t negate the alleged sexual exploitation or subsequent actions described in the indictment.

Where is Matthew Farwell now?

Farwell remains out on bail following his federal indictment in August 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of killing a witness, which carries a potential life sentence if convicted. No trial date has been set yet. In the meantime, federal prosecutors maintain their case hinges on his alleged efforts to prevent Birchmore from going public about their relationship.

In the wake of the DNA revelation, public and legal attention may shift subtly. Birchmore’s family and federal authorities continue to pursue justice in her death, even as the narrative evolves now that Farwell is definitively ruled out as the baby’s father.